Label of the week – Dischord Records

Label of the Week
Dischord Records

www.dischord.com

SO what can you say about Dischordrecords? A label that has sold over 5 million items. A label that has influenced so many musicians and bands. A labelthat has brought out consistently good releases since the Teen Idles Minor Disturbance 7″.

As one of the founders of the label, Ian McKaye states

“After nearly a year of playing together, the Teen Idles decided to break up. It was late summer 1980 and the only thing left to sort out was what to do with the money in the band fund. All of the money we had earned from our 35 concerts went into a cigar box in my room, and we had managed to save over $600. Instead of splitting it up, the band decided to release a record.

It was clear from the beginning that no label would be interested in putting out a Teen Idles record, particularly since we were no longer a band, so we decided to do it ourselves. We turned to our friend Skip Groff, who ran a record shop called Yesterday and Today. He had put out a number of small releases on his own label, Limp Records, and was able to explain the basic mechanics of putting out a record. We came up with a name for our label, started designing the cover, and sent off the tapes to a pressing plant. Finally, in December 1980, the Teen Idles’ “Minor Disturbance” E.P. (an eight-song 7″) was released. This was Dischord Records #1.”

It all sounds so simple, start a band, release a record, play a gig -do it yourself. And you know what? It is.

My introduction to the label was the flex your head compilation, which documented the DC hardcore scene at the time. Through this I got to listen to and read about bands like SOA, Untouchables, Youth Brigade and Deadline. The power and the spirit from that record still influences me today.

The label is still releasing records and it’s not just represses and hidden gems like Youth Brigades first demo.

It has put out Soccer Team’s second lp and is involved in Red Hares new record Lexicon Mist which includes a Lungfish cover.

I could write forever about the label but this is here to remind you of its existence.